cat 301.8

[ellrod]

Any of you fellows that own a cat 301.8 have a operators manual ?
I just purchased one and have no idea what anything does on it. That is not a problem I will figure that out after a while but I have a light on the insturment pannel "last one back under right arm" that I have no idea what is. I am afraid to play till I figure out what that is. It wasn't on till I got it home and played with it. Now it will be on a while then go off ? and back on so I figured I would search out a manual :Banghead So far that has been a failure. I would have better luck figuring out what is in the bailout package that just passed ointhead
If someone would let me know where I could buy a service manual and tell me what the light is till I could purchase a manual I could play with it till I might be able to hit the ground anyway
This has to be the most backward thing I have ever been on. After a few years on a pair of john deere joy sticks I am dangerous on this thing.
Thanks for any help in advance

 

[woberlin]

If it goes off when you swing left or right, and comes back on after not moving for 30 seconds or so, it's the swing brake. My Komatsu had that light, and it drove me crazy till I got the manual and seen what it was.

 

[AtlasRob]

Now it will be on a while then go off ? and back on

What colour is it, RED = Danger, Yellow/orange = warning,
Green = advice, eg lights on.

During start sequence, ignition on, BEFORE cranking is light on or off?
WAIT
Does it come on or go off?
Start engine, DONT move anything, light on or off ?
Move machine what happens.
You say it goes off then comes back on again, is that after you stop moving or while you are still operating?

 

[strott]

Does it tell you that the dozer blade lever is in control of either the expandable undercarriage or the blade?

OR Could be telling you that the two speed tracking is engaged/disengaged!! Is there something in particular that you do which then makes the light go off?

 

[ellrod]

Well I guess I get to go and play again and pay attention this time. I dont think it has anything to do with the hyperspeed button the one that looked like a headlight dimmer cause I just found it while taking it back to the garage last night. That was a little toy I was glad to find. I noticed the water tank (plastic) was cracked and empty so I might see if I can cure that today right after I do the light test. I know it's a 3 cylinder but it sounds like it might be down on one one cylinder ? I will check that also. It has amazing power with a 16" bucket, I was really supprised. Don't seem to burn any fuel and real quiet operation. I only gave 10K for this unit and it's a 2004 but has around 2000 hours on it. Looks to be tight but I know nothing about these things but I have studied Murphy's law for years, If it can go wrong with one it will do it to me .. Thats the reason I ask so many stupid questions on here. When I got the mitsi. dozer I would have took my old IHC and burried it till dozerman got me educated. I would guess that Dave (parts man) and Jim (dozerman) have had many laugh's out of some of the questions I have ask.
Anyway thanks for the info, I will go play for a while and see what I can figure out & if anybody has a idea where I might find a manual I could sure use it.
Thanks again fellows

 

[ellrod]

___________update_____________
light was on with switch, unit is cold. Stayed on after start, let run till I unhooked the trailer off my truck and put it up and light still on. moved it back and forth (joystick) & after 2 minutes light still on, got tired messing with it and gave it 1/2 turn to back into the garage and noticed the light was off ? pulled it back out, gave it 1/2 turn light still off, backed it back into the garage and shut it down.
I Patched water overflow jug, and seen a bolt or two missing from here and there so I started to take it apart. Who ever put this thing together was in a real hurry, lost most of the bolts & tried to use what ever he had to make fit. I had to clean up a few threads and find a bunch of bolts but I found wires going nowhere, a few cut ? patched hose and everything under the floor pannel was loose or had no bolts in it. It had rust (2004 model?) so I got off what I could and added the rust killer to it and when I left it was drying so I can put the pad back on. I won't know anymore till tomorrow after I get it back out to play with.

To make a long story short I still have no idea what the light is & I now need a service manual worse that I thought I did.
Thanks again

PS: one of the questions were "Does it tell you that the dozer blade lever is in control of either the expandable undercarriage or the blade"
My question is Where is this function and how do I use it ???

 

[strott]

PS: one of the questions were "Does it tell you that the dozer blade lever is in control of either the expandable undercarriage or the blade"
My question is Where is this function and how do I use it ???


Not sure, but as far as i'm aware the 301.8 has an expandable undercarriage so it should be somewhere. (the current 301.8C model has it as standard) The other possibility is that the light tells you that the dozer blade 'float' function is operational but I am not sure whether your model had this as an option let alone standard!!

One way to tell if the machine has an expandable undercarriage is to see if there any holes on either end of the dozer blade where it looks as if dozer blade extensions can be inserted onto the blade and held on with pins (on some machines the extensions fold out on hinges and are permanently fixed to the blade)

On most mini excavators the way to alter the blade lever function is via a manual changeover valve located on the floor or under the seat.

Have a look at the 301.6C & 301.8C brochure on the CAT website to see if what the pin on extensions looks like (page 2), this may help you to see what your'e looking for:

http://images3.catmms.com/catimage/CATDealerExportAPIImageServlet?imageId=C311363&type=9

 

[ellrod]

I found it ! little springloaded switch on right side, lift and hold and the blade moves real slow & the tracks will come in or out. While I was using it they were about 1/2 of the way out. After I took them out to the limit it feels much better. Another switch is beside it but I have no idea what it is and can't see it does anything. I will figure it out sooner or later I guess. I found a service manual for it for $395.00 !!! owners manual was $95. ? these folks are real proud of their stuff. Somebody will have a manual cheaper somewhere. I found one from ??? for my little deere It was 19.95 and a real good book with about everything you needed to know. I have looked at all the advertisments and specs on it and can't come up with much help there. So far I am real happy with it but someone had it apart and I don't really care much for the way it was put back together and I am sure I will find more wrong with it but for 10K I ain't whinning .
Thanks for all the help & sugestions so far, if not for them I would have had this thing for a while before I figured out what expandable tracks were.
Fellows thanks again
Bubba

 

[strott]

If you put the blade at the rear of the machine and down into the ground to lift the tracks up and use the bucket to lift the machines' tracks completely off the ground then the tracks should expand faster without the blade moving. (this also reduces wear on the undercarriage)

How about posting a pic of any lights or switches levers that you are not sure of - maybe we can help you enough to prevent you having to buy a manual which is apparantly made out of leather and bound with silk!!!!

 

[ellrod]

Thanks & I will see if I can get a pix. as soon as I get caught up here at the shop. I hope to be finished up with real work by Thursday and I will be able to play more
Thanks again

 

[ellrod]

Well I just found out the right track is not moving, I thought it was the other day but it don't now. I took a look at it and best I can tell it has a same thing the other one does. I loosened the line on the outside of it and took a broom handle while holding the switch and the left side moves but the right side doesn’t even leak fluid. That tells me that the other switch might have something to do with that. I found the solenoid that clicked when I pressed the spring loaded switch but have no idea why fluid is not getting to the right track. I need a service manual bad! Or somebody that has worked on one of these things before. Any suggestions here would be real good.
OH if you put the blade down and flip the switch the blade just floats. I guess it takes the hydraulics off it and reroutes it to the tracks? The wires I found loose were tied to places as a mark so somebody knew where to put something back ! Another bad sign. The light is tied into the track expansion somewhere, I saw it come on once but went back off when I extended the left track. I almost know they both moved Sunday when I messed with it or I would have seen the offset in it.
Well im off to see if I can find anything on the net about it.
Thanks Strott and everybody else that has helped.
Bubba

 

[strott]

The expandable undercarriage usually uses one hydraulic ram to move the tracks in and out so if one side is not moving fully that is unusual because if the ram moves enough to push one track out it should push the other track out eventually (it is not unusual for one side to move out then the other, I.E: Not in unison)

'The blade floats' - does that mean that the blade doesn't move and supports the weight of the machine with the tracks off the ground whilst engaging the expandable undercarriage?

 

[ellrod]

That would make sense cause when the tracks are all the way in the one that is doing the moving is good ways under the unit. And yep.. you can take the weight off the unit with the blade and bucket and when you push the switch it just goes to float. I will move a little up or down acording to which way you are moving the tracks. It looks to have a leak or two in it also but I will stop all that when I get a chance but would like to have a manual first.
If you pull the tracks in should the unit be centered on them and what makes it do that with one cylender:beatsme and what would center it if only one cylender is doing it ?? I need to get it on 2 6X6 and get under it and just see what is what:bash. Little fellow is to close to the ground for a blind, 58 year old, 280 lb. hillbilly to get under and I dont trust the boom !! Well when it comes to my hide I trust 6X6 as long as nobody it there to play while I am under it.
OH also I have a leak on the arm cylender, I have not had one of these things apart since I was 20 years old. Are they packed or do they have seals and have to come all the way apart to replace them.

Thanks for the education I need it bad:notworthy
Bubba

 

[strott]

It only uses one ram because as you would of guessed the expanding parts of the undercarriage which slide out has 'stoppers' to stop the track falling off/out so to speak!! So when one side of the undercarriage has slid out and the stopper has been hit the ram keeps pushing therefore causing the other side's track to push out until the stopper on that side has been hit and the ram can't move out further.

When retracted the outer edges of the tracks should be in line with the sides of the upperstructure of the machine - they should be the same overall width as the top of the machine approx 39-40 inches wide.

I have no idea on the hydraulic ram makeup I'm afraid.

 

[ellrod]

I got it blocked up and looked at it and all is there is one ram like you said and it just looks like the one side is just stuck ?? Didn't have time to play with it and it was cold out there so I put it in the dry and will paly as soon as I get a chance. When I seen it only had one ram and how the stops worked I took another look a tthe fitting for the hydrulic fitting, O-ring that's why it didn't leak when I loosened it up
Thanks for all the help
Bubba

 

[strott]

yeah sounds like it needs a bit of a nudge to move and a good greasing of the telescopic parts of the undercarriage!!!!

 

[ellrod]

I plan to do that today when it hits 38 degree's out side im out of here
I have to get it up on something that won't kill me before I get under it to see what to grease & then might have to give it a nudge to get it started.
Thanks

 

[ellrod]

Well with the help of a screw type chain binder & port-a-power (cant spell that) I got the track going in and out. After I got it all the way out I had to remove the rust with a wire brush on a air tool, used white grease and got it started back in and was working it real slow and got it locked to the inside Got it loose again and more rust removel & white grease and it will now move max both ways. It is a little stiffer than the other but it works now. The light that was on part time was related to the track position. Only one switch to figure out then I will know what everything is. It seems to be down just a little on one cylinder so I loosened up the nut on top of the injector to make sure no air was there and I noticed when I start to tighten it up it hit's solid as a rock ? if I leave just a little leak all cylinders hit even. Upper and lower RPM range,Tighten it all the way up and it goes back to slight miss. Do you have any idea what this could be or do I just need to order another injector and replace it. (if thats the problem)
Thanks again for all the help
Bubba

 

[strott]

Could try asking a local mitsubishi engine dealer/service shop - they should be able to advise and if nessecary provide you with the correct part.

Keep an eye on that track extension as more rust may surface with use so requiring a bit of extra grease, Have you greased the other side aswell?

Does the injector look standard or different type? (Judging by your description of other parts of the machine it could of been whatever was left lying around!!!!)

 

[ellrod]

It looks to be the orignal part. I called today and cat is real proud of these things. they want $302.++ for one and that does not include shipping .. I guess it's time to get educated on cat injectors.
On the grease YES !! if it moves it got greased. If one could be burned up wih grease I would be killing it. I believe in grease everywhere. I got both sides & looked for anything else that moved that didn't have a fitting to spray. White grease looks real bad but sticks real well. I will get this thing apart sometime in the next 2 weeks and see what I can find on the injector and let you know what I found. It is not a full miss, only down 20% max and that goes away if you will let the line leak just a little so I am betting on the injector and it might be something real simple. thing is on these things you can have it apart make a chance and put it back together in 30 minutes to see if you liked or cured it:0)..
Thanks again
Bubba